Friday, January 22, 2016

The Settlers of Chevron

The Jewish Press has been a home for my blog for some time now.
I am grateful to them for publishing so many of my posts on their website. I have more posts
published there than any other blogger. I am also grateful to them for having published a few of my articles in their print edition.

I truly appreciate how much they value
my words, even when they don’t agree with them.
I am not sure they will feel about me after this, though. I have to express
what I believe to be Emes without considering the consequences to myself.

There has always been something about their editorial
position with respect to Israel that has troubled me. That policy goes beyond their written editorial. It biases the way they report the news.They have
a strong bias in favor of West bank settlements. Not just those in large and long
established border cities like Ma’aleh Adumim. I too support those cities. They will
no doubt remain in Israel’s hands in any kind of peace agreement with
Palestinians. (Not that I think it is possible at this point in time.) But Jewish
Press support goes way beyond that. They support settlers in places like
Chevron, a city populated by Palestinians.

Those settlers are there for only one reason – to assure
that not a single inch of Eretz Yisroel is ever turned over to the Palestinians.
Especially not Chevron. So wrapped up are they in this goal that they are not
beneath committing criminal acts. And in one of the more extreme cases, mass
murder was committed by one of their more esteemed members, Dr. Baurch
Goldstein.

The settlers of Chevron are the same people that worship Baruch
Goldstein as icon and martyr for the Jewish cause. How different is that from
the Palestinians that worship a suicide bomber that successfully blew himself up
and took some Jews along with him?!

The latest article in the Jewish Press presents a
sympathetic spin about the eviction by police of settlers in Chevron that have occupied 2 buildings there. The settler claim is that Chevron is holy, it is ours, and has
been ours since Matan Torah. It was the home of Avrohom, and it contains the holy burial grounds
of our patriarchs and matriarchs. They therefore will do whatever it takes to keep Chevron in Jewish hands. The Jewish Press seems to agree with that. So they report the
eviction of Jewish settlers there with an immoral and unjust spin.

I don’t know if those settlers did or didn’t have a legal
right to occupy those buildings. But in my view they endanger the welfare of their people. Their presence
in or near that city is an incitement that is unnecessary and a source of anger
to Palestinians. Which increases the chances of more Jews being harmed of
killed.

Please do not misunderstand. I fully understand Palestinian
terrorists don’t need much to terrorize us. They have been doing that in a
piecemeal fashion for months now. Most Palestinians probably feel we deserve
it. So that even if there was not a single Jewish soul living in or near
Chevron, not much would change. But as I have said many times, pouring gasoline
onto a fire does not help. Doing Yishuv Ha’aretz - settling the land in this way is irresponsible
and has consequences. To which they seem oblivious.

This is also not to say that we don’t have a right to
Chevron. Of course we do. But rights do not trump safety. When one
exercises their rights under conditions that cause harm to others, one has to
question the priorities. Jewish life is sacred. Exercising a right that can bring
more death and destruction - is wrong.

That’s why I agree with Rav Shach on this issue. If I recall
correctly, he said he would even give up the Kotel if it would bring genuine
peace. I agree with him. My motivation is simple. Whatever saves Jewish life is
what I favor. Pikuach Nefesh is not something
that should be taken lightly. It should not be ignored by people with agendas –
even legitimate ones. Saving Jewish life has the highest of value in Judaism.
V’Chai Bahem the Torah tells us about the laws dictated by the Torah. The sages
interpret this to mean that one may violate any and all Halachos to save a Jewish
life – except for idol worship, murder, and adultery. Certainly settling the
land of Israel is not any of those three.

I therefore find an editorial position that sympathizes with
the settlers of Chevron repulsive no matter who has it. It is one thing to feel
that the settler view is the right one. It is another to write in sympathetic tones about actions that exacerbate the enmity of our enemy.

The Jewish Press is not alone in praising such deeds. I have
read more than once about the ‘courage’ of those who risk their lives by
settling in and around Chevron. In my view this ‘courage’ is pure foolishness.
They risk their lives for an ideal that is over-ridden by the ideal of saving Jewish
lives.

If it were up to me, I would evacuate all of Chevron’s Jews.
And I would consider doing the same thing to Kiryat Araba, the Israel town right
next to it. I see no value to having a town there – even though it has been
there since shortly after the 6 day war of 1967.

I realize that a lot of readers that generally support my
views here, will be appalled at this post. I’m sure I will be accused of
Nazi-like attitudes of making parts of biblical Israel Judenrein (free of any
Jews). That’s OK. I will take my lumps. But I feel very strongly about Pikuach
Nefesh and I oppose any activities that endanger the lives of fellow Jews. And this
doesn’t even take into account the danger Israeli soldiers face that are there
to protect them.

I understand the sincerity of these people. They are
committed to their ideals and are willing to risk their lives for them. That is
admirable under normal circumstances. But when they risk the lives of others
along with their own that idealism turns into a callous disregard for the
welfare of their fellow Jew.

They may claim that activities in Chevron does
not endanger the Jewish people any more than they already are. But that makes
about as much sense as saying that pouring gasoline on a fire will not increase
the flame. These people are wrong. And the Jewish Press would do well to
recognize that instead of constantly sympathizing with them.

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About Me

My outlook on Judaism is based mostly on the teachings of my primary Rebbe, Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik from whom I received my rabbinic ordination. It is also based on a search for spiritual truth. Among the various sources that put me on the right path, two great philosophic works stand out: “Halakhic Man” and “Lonely Man of Faith” authored by the pre-eminent Jewish philosopher and theologian, Rabbi, Dr. Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Of great significance is Rabbi, Dr. Norman Lamm's conceptualization and models of Torah U’Mada and Dr. Eliezer Berkovits who introduced me to the world of philosophic thought. Among my early influences were two pioneers of American Elementary Torah Chinuch, Rabbis Shmuel Kaufman and Yaakov Levi. The Yeshivos I attended were Yeshivas Telshe for early high school and more significantly, the Hebrew Theological College where for a period of ten years, my Rebbeim included such great Rabbinic figures as Rabbis Mordechai Rogov, Shmaryahu Meltzer, Yaakov Perlow, Herzl Kaplan, and Selig Starr. I also attended Roosevelt University where I received my Bachelor's Degree - majoring in Psychology.